Adam Silver, Grant Hill and the ‘wokest’ sports league in America

When NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was introduced as the leader of the “wokest” professional sports league in America, he flashed a smile and tried to play off the significance of the statement. “I understand the sentiment, and we’re proud of that,” Silver said at the “Cities for Tomorrow” conference in New Orleans on Friday afternoon (Dec. 7). Setting out to be the wokest league was never Silver’s goal, but he did say he wanted to make sure his league represented the values of America. Under Silver’s watch, the NBA has become a safe haven for players who want to express themselves on social issues. This is in part because Silver wanted to uphold the activism he says the league has had for years. “To us, it’s a core part of Americana that we’re exporting,” Silver said. “The sense that these uniquely American values of free speech, feeling protected in the workplace that you can talk about issues that matter to you. If that gets translated into being woke, that’s fine with me. It is important for us.” The league has supported its players making political statements in recent years, whether it was Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James criticizing President Donald Trump on Twitter or multiple players wearing activist T-shirts before games. Grant Hill, a former player and current part-owner of the Atlanta Hawks, was on the panel with Silver and spoke to activism he has engaged in during and after his playing career. He said the NBA would ultimately… [Read full story]